Anas Uddin Ovi
Dhaka – Residents of Mir Mosharraf Hossain (MMH) Hall, the largest student-dormitory in Jahangirnagar University (JU) are facing various problems like shortage of accommodation, serving of unhygienic food and unhealthy living environment.
Accommodation crisis has hit the 1 st year students of the session of 2016-17 as they are still living on the floor in the hall common room that is known as ‘gono-room’ to the students.
Students and hall officials informed that, the situation has arisen as old students are yet to leave the dormitory despite frequent notices issued by the hall authorities, though they finished master’s one to two years before.
Moreover, the crisis is so acute that, the hall authority notified the eager students of this dorm to be shifted to the newly constructed Biswakobi Rabindranath Tagore hall.
Wishing anonymity, a first year student of this dorm said, ‘There is scope neither to study nor to sleep. We are uncertain as to whether we would be allotted seats’.
‘Additionally, the hall authority has no control over seat allotment as the political student leaders control the same. Many students given seats in other dorms get chance to stay here illegally’, they added.
Apart from this, the quality of food served at the canteens is worsening day by day though the cost of food high, general students alleged.
Abdur Rahman, a 2nd year student of Geography department said, ‘Food price at this dorm is higher than that at in other halls on the campus. But the food quality here is also very low’.
Canteen owners alleged that the students made a handsome amount of money at their cost.
Iqbal Hossain, one canteen owner said, ‘At least tk. 2 lakh is already due from students. That’s why we are bound to take high price of food to overcome losses’.
‘Mismanagement of the hall authorities is responsible for the situation’, the general students said.
When asked, Hall Provost Prof. Dr. Obaedur Rahman said, ‘We have notified the invalid students asking them to leave. But they are staying here showing excuse of appearing at exams for jobs and by getting admitted to the evening courses in the university. We are unable to force them out,’ he said.
About the unhygienic food served at the canteens, he said, ‘We already visited the canteens and asked their owners to improve food quality and keep prices low.
Additionally, we ordered them to hang a food price chart before their respective canteens and shops’.
About allegation of due by the shop owners, he said, ‘We have noted their allegations down. We will take move to recover this money from the students owed them as soon as possible’.
